Fabio Carvalho popped up in the 93rd minute to tap in from a Kevin Schade long throw and salvage a dramatic 2-2 draw for Brentford, cancelling out Moises Caicedo’s late thunderbolt for Chelsea and denying the Blues a shot at the Premier League summit.
Fabio Carvalho’s stoppage-time finish turned a potential Chelsea victory into a share of the spoils at Brentford after Moises Caicedo’s powerful effort had given the visitors the lead late on. Carvalho, on as a substitute, reacted quickest at the far post to turn home a long throw and claim a priceless point for the hosts.
Cole Palmer had earlier provided a rapid response off the bench, slotting home within five minutes of his introduction to cancel out Kevin Schade’s first-half opener. Schade had put Brentford ahead after a delightful pass from Jordan Henderson put him through, and Palmer’s immediate impact swung momentum Chelsea’s way in the second half.
Kevin Schade
Cole Palmer
Palmer’s arrival came in the 56th minute as part of an Enzo Maresca triple substitution at the break — a reaction to a stuttering first 45 minutes in which Chelsea managed only one shot on target. The England attacker was returning from a groin problem and made an instant impression after being handed game time.
With Chelsea hunting the winner, Maresca later sent on Reece James and Marc Cucurella for Wesley Fofana and Jorrel Hato, while Tyrique George replaced Facundo Buonanotte as the Blues cranked up the pressure. That spell of intensity culminated in Caicedo unleashing a fierce strike from the edge of the box with roughly five minutes remaining to put Chelsea in front.
Brentford refused to wilt, though. In added time a long throw from Kevin Schade caused chaos in the Chelsea box and the ball dropped for substitute Carvalho, who ghosted in behind Chelsea debutant Alejandro Garnacho to bundle the ball over the line and snatch a dramatic late leveller.
On the night both sides had standout contributors: Jordan Henderson’s precision pass and leadership were pivotal; Cole Palmer’s swift impact off the bench showed his quality returning; and Kevin Schade’s physical presence and long throws proved a constant menace. Goalkeeper and defensive marks reflected a hard-fought contest with several players earning solid reviews.
Maresca explained his selection choices afterwards, noting that his unusual back-line featuring Fofana and Hato was always planned with load-management in mind. Fofana was making his first start since March and Hato was handed his first league start, while Buonanotte — not in the European squad — started despite not being fully match-fit. The Chelsea boss said those minutes were managed with upcoming fixtures in mind.
Reflecting on the finish, Maresca admitted his side should have handled the closing moments better. “We knew it would be a tough game,” he told Sky Sports. “We improved after half-time, but conceding in the 93rd is a shame. You must avoid bad transitions and set-piece chaos — we dealt with it for much of the game but in the end we conceded.”
Brentford interim head coach Keith Andrews praised Jordan Henderson’s influence, underlining his experience and competitive edge. On the team’s use of long throws, Andrews said such set-piece work has been a hallmark of Brentford for years and remains an effective route to goals — a point proved emphatically by Carvalho’s late finish.
Keith Andrews
Jordan Henderson
Carvalho, who came off the bench to grab the equaliser, stressed Brentford’s preparation on set-pieces. “We practise these situations a lot,” he told Sky Sports. “Finding that space and timing isn’t as easy as it looks. The staff have done a great job and we’ve got enough quality to compete this season. We stick together and that’s what gets results like tonight.
